It’s so great to feel a slow but steady movement forming around the mantra “less is more”. Here at Lustic Life we’re definitely hoping to keep things intentional and down-to-earth when it comes to Christmas this year! 

With that in mind, we are so excited to announce that we have a shiny, new Lustic Life contributor and resident minimalist expert, Jenn Crane {aka The Island Minimalist}, who’s ready to share her guide to creating a minimalist-inspired Christmas. It might be easier than you think!

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In the past couple of years, minimalism {the act of valuing people and experiences more than material items} has become a very popular lifestyle in western society. The pressure to achieve more, spend more and have more has caused many people to consider a different way of life in order to bring some peace and calmness back into their lives and homes!

As you can imagine, practicing minimalism during the holidays can be quite difficult when you’re surrounded by Black Friday sales, last-minute deals and the pressure to buy buy buy. But it can also be the most rewarding time of the year as you’re surrounded by so many friends and family.

Here are a few ideas as to how you can bring a little more minimalism into your life during the holidays:

Gift Giving

Narrow down your gift list to those who truly matter to you. And when purchasing a gift, purchase with intention. Experience gifts are great because they create amazing memories and they don’t add to the clutter in a home!

Many minimalists also love to gift charitable donations in honor of a cause that is close to their hearts. When purchasing children’s gifts, try sticking to educational and open-ended play toys. Kids have a wonderful imagination and these types of toys will definitely help to strengthen that!

Decorating

Holiday decorating can be so much fun! It can also add a lot of clutter to the home.

Try to keep the decorating simple and not overwhelming. Natural decor is a great choice {i.e. tree branches, berries, natural wreaths} because you don’t need to store it and create clutter in your home when the holidays are done!

A lot of people love purchasing a real Christmas tree for this reason. Plus a real tree smells great and it’s always fun to bring the outside in.

Creating Traditions 

Minimalism is all about creating beautiful experiences with people you love, so what better time to do that then during the holidays! Sit down and write out a list of all the traditions you want to create this holiday season!

Some ideas are: driving around to see the holiday lights, baking cookies, making a yummy gingerbread house, attending a local holiday parade, going to church services and watching holiday movies. The ideas are endless and most cost very little to do!

Being a minimalist doesn’t mean adopting a scrooge-like attitude during the holidays. Minimalism can actually greatly enhance the Christmas experience by putting the focus back on spending quality time with loved ones. 

And remember, gifts will come and go and can leave a big dent in your wallet, but the special memories that you create will last forever and are priceless.

 Happy Holidays, friends!

About Jenn

Jenn is a mother of two, wife, practicing minimalist and slow living advocate. Her passion for simplifying came from becoming burnt out in her busy career. She is now one half of Island Minimalists Co., a minimalist lifestyle company launching in January of 2020 and a stay at home mom. You can find her sharing all her minimalism expertise on Instagram The Island Minimalist and on the company’s blog (www.islandminimalists.com).